science

In the last few month’s we have been talking about the Debt Ceiling, the GOP wanted to link increasing the debt ceiling to cuts in spending. This was never the case before, and I am all for reducing the national debt. But where I would disagree with the Republicans is their reluctance to eliminate one of the biggest reasons for the debt in the first place. Tax cuts that were put in place by President Bush and were never paid for!

To seriously pay off the debt it is madness to think it can be done just by reducing spending. If the economy was in good shape it may be possible but will take decades. in a economy that’s suffering with high unemployment with most industrial & manufacturing work opening up in cheaper overseas markets; the outlook is grim.

There is some element of truth when the GOP say these big corporations could in fact be the job providers. My questions is even though they have had the tax breaks and corporate profits are up! The fact is the job providers are “NOT” providing the jobs, what is the justification for continuing the tax breaks.

The bush tax cuts will end december 2011, and I am sure they will not be re-introduced. Although I would personally offer any company that opens a factory in the United States providing local jobs where the work is needed; a significant tax deduction for that plant/factory for a period of five years.

I agree that there should be a serious look at Medicare & Medical, possibly creating just one service, where the State and Federal decide on the percentage each will pay toward medical bills. A true alternative to for profit care would drive down costs and provide competition; as it does in Europe and Asia already.

It’s safe to say that Republicans & Democrats in the house & Senate are going to agree on very little for the next year. Job growth will be stunted unless either corporations or government pump money into the mix.
Government could provide jobs updating infrastructure. Which is desperately needed. Of course this money comes from tax revenue. And we know the GOP don’t want new tax revenue.
In the end the only way to move this forward is to have one party running the show. Since the republicans policies were in play creating the recession. My vote is to let the Democrats lead in getting us out of this mess. And if the country doesn’t take this route the recession will be with us until it does!

So I have always been wary of the for profit medical system in the USA. It’s not that I have anything against doctors making a living. Doctors do quite well through most of the planet & quite deservedly!
So let’s talk about the differences in the systems!
There are lies told about universal healthcare that need to be put right! I grew up in Europe before moving to the states so I have a fair grasp of the differences.
First let me say that neither system is perfect, but the difference is mostly on how much things cost & who decides.
There is the fear that universal healthcare is government healthcare. This statement is true but very deceptive. The government has mandated that it will provide tax funds to make sure every citizen has medical care available.
Does this mean a politician makes medical decisions; of course not!
All the politicians do is argue over funding. And if the ones in power aren’t doing it right; the opposition party will be happy to point out the issues!
Now does this mean doctors can do whatever they want? Not really, hospital administrator’s will decide how to best to get the job done within the budget; but they will get the job done!
The doctor works for the hospital or has a private practice. As to pay doctors make about half the wage in Europe as they do in the USA! But to be honest I don’t see too many doctors in either system complaining they get badly paid!
In Ireland as in many countries you also have insurance systems in place! This gives people who pay another option for healthcare. Both systems function quite well side by side. And it makes for healthy competition. Most people are surprised to find that doctors prefer the government hospitals because being government it’s more secure, better pensions!
The for profit healthcare system in the USA was originally designed to provide healthcare for all Americans. But it didn’t quite work out that way. In the original idea funds would be provided to give people who couldn’t afford to pay insurance premiums assistance.
What happened was a system that ran amuck!
Because the doctors were open to frivolous law suits they needed to charge more to pay for insurance. As the system paid per test the doctors started unnecessary testing to make more money. The insurance companies need to increase premiums to make a profit!
I am not sure when the insurance companies decided to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. Or simply because the patients care became too expensive.
Without competition the healthcare for profit has no incentive to improve! As long as all the parties are taking their cut no improvements are required.
In government funded healthcare there is always the vote, and the opposition party, and the press to make the people in charge improve the care given. Considering the USA is approximately 37th in the western countries. Behind many universal healthcare systems. I think it needs to make changes and stop the fear talk! Japan has a universal healthcare system that is 80% privately funded! Profits can be made in both systems. What is needed is for health professionals to take a decent wage for their services! And for competition in the systems to provide incentives for improvement!
Of course this is just my opinion, and I have nothing against either systems!
I believe when you pay taxes you should get something for it!

Plato said that a society can be judged by how it treats its elderly and sick!
How are we doing?

Some times it seems that in the United States we are still going through the Scopes Trial. on one hand a fundamentalist view of religion, on the other hand evolution and science. in my opinion evolution is not a Theory, but is fact. This has been proven with use of genetic experimentation, and the development of different plant and animal species. Fundamentalist religious doctrine would argue that even though the science can be tested that the Bible does not lie and the earth was made in six days.

I was raised a Catholic, but I asked questions and learned about the way the world actually worked. While it’s a personal belief to be religious or have faith. I found the answers to be lacking and just having faith didn’t do it for me. As I got older and learned the history of the bible, I found myself with more questions than answers.

The Synod of Hippo 393 AD, was the first time a canon resembling the modern bible came into existence. Most of the books were translations from the Greek. The Gnostic Gospels were discovered in 1945, and dated to between the 2nd and 4th century. A Gospel is a story, it’s a persons account of a period in time. This bible story has been influenced for two centuries by the Christian Church, and the Gnostic Gospel’s themselves have been denounced by the Church as heretical. This makes me question how much of the original text remains and who was the author. There is possibly many authors in the Gospels, and to believe one author and no changes from the original text would be foolish. It is this doubt that makes me question all, are these just stories to help us live our lives; to give us some moral purpose. Is the old testament just a story to give a person living in Roman times an explanation of the beginning of time.

In Greece 200 years before Jesus, man was asking questions about who we are and where we are. The history of science is just as old as religion, and in many cases it was religious men that discovered the truth behind our planet and our universe. There was always a tension between science and religion. Scientific discoveries almost always argued with religious doctrine and made the church uneasy!

Charles Darwin was a religious man, he studied to be an Anglican clergyman, but during his travels he became increasingly doubtful in the History as taught in the bible. After he returned he waited twenty years to publish as he questioned his conclusions. In the end there was no doubt, the science of evolution has been tested thoroughly; and never found to be in error.

We are in the twenty first century, we have made much progress as a species, but in the end we are only as good as the weakest link. There are many nations who take pride in education, and understand the need for talented scientifically minded people, to take the next step and move society forward. Others seem to take pride in ignorance, they take the view that money is more important than knowledge. As long as the powers tell me I am saving money, the fact that I am being lied to doesn’t matter. I am ok with being indoctrinated, to the point I am making decisions to my own detriment, and halting my development and the development of my society as a whole.

Why does a belief in science, a self regulating discipline (although it has made mistakes), argue with religion to the point it can bring cultural development to a halt. At what point will the united states realize that it has fallen from the shelf and can no longer compete in technical ability or innovation. How far does it have to fall before changing course. And if it doesn’t change course will the US like being low on the list of developed nations.

There are enough ways to keep in touch today, if you are not one to avail you are really missing out. The question that comes to mind is who do we want to keep in touch with. Social networks like anything else in the real world, can be great; or can be misused.

Human nature means we, (humans), like to be liked, wanted, part of the group; social, this is a good thing! Takes us back to the small family group that was our tribe when we were just down from the trees. I have a facebook page, I keep in touch mostly with family in Europe, because they never returned e-mail, and it’s great that it’s all in one program. Mind you my friends are people I actually know and not people who just friended me, this is where I wonder what the social in social network means!

I find I am friending people I know or work with, but in the real world I may pass them and it will be “hi” or “hello”. No conversation about how we are doing or how the family is. You see I really don’t know these people! So should I just say no on the social network, or say yes thinking that by doing so we have become closer in some way?

It does no harm to become social network friends, as there may be a better chance for interaction in the future. But I must understand that being a social network friend doesn’t make you my real friend. I am not going to tell you intimate details of my life, I will not confide in you or expect anything from you. You see I have real friends and I don’t need or want too many real friends, as it dilutes the intensity of the friendship I have with my real friends. Now this could be a generational thing, (I am not young); but I see confusion in some when it comes to net-friend, and real friend. Today to break up in a relationship just change your status to single, or complicated. Or why didn’t such & such friend me, but did my other friends? It seems that some take this social network thing a little too seriously; it’s just for fun you see!

Let me say I am for social networks, I am for keeping in touch, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, are all great things. Social interaction is a way for an exchange of views, a way to communicate with a diverse group of people; to educate and learn. There will always be the usual stupidity, hate and prejudice, that makes up society; and of course it will creep in every so often. Free Speech is a great thing, not to be confused with Hate Speech which is not the same thing and should be stamped out when ever, and where ever it shows it’s ignorant face.

Social networks and electronic interaction is such a part of society, that do’s and do not’s should be a school subject at this point. When to text rather than voice, (confined places, trains, planes, waiting rooms)! Only use hands free when driving, I still see idiots on the phone and even texting while driving. The fools can kill themselves, they have a choice; just try not to kill any innocents in the process! I still feel we are at a transition, a developmental state when it come to technology. In the future some things will pass, fade as we grow up as a society, things that seem so important today show themselves as just a fad, and the true tech path becomes evident. As Tim Hunkin said in the 80’s show, The Secret Life of Machines, when a technology becomes truly part of society; it becomes invisible.

One of my favorite movies is iRobot, and I do think that the way society looks in that movie tech wise, is a fair representation of the way it will be in the future. I cannot say how quickly as American society struggles, with the idea of spending on infrastructure & energy production. It’s a bigger problem than most realize, but it must be solved if we are to maintain the tech we know and love. Maybe social networks will just divide us into groups, like right & left wing web sites do today. Will we be defined by out social group, should employers check our Facebook as part of the job interview? REMEMBER PEOPLE, If it’s on the web it’s not private, be careful what you post!

This is big news, Ebola being one of a strain of viral hemorrhagic fevers that have been with us since the late 70’s. There has been mild success in treatment over the years, but 100% success rate is a milestone. Not just in the treatment of Ebola, but the method of transmitting the drug may lead to future cures for many of the worst strains. Please read the NPR article.

A real potential cure for HIV is now a possibility, as the world has become complacent and the disease is now on the upswing in the Gay community again; mainly due to the new generation and drug use.

While we still have years before a final drug will be available to the public, this new method of transmitting the drug should provide hope for true viral treatments.